Greetings everyone.

Hello all, I'm new to the forums here. I was born and raised in Western NC. I grew up fishing all over around Henderson, Polk, Transylvania, and Buncombe Counties, as well as spending many days on Lake Adger, Hartwell, Russell, Keowee, Glenville, Hickory, and other various small lakes. Many days of trout fishing were spent on East Fork (of French Broad), Rocky Broad, Davidson, Pacolet, Green River, Little Hungry, Big Hungry, North and South Mills are the rivers I mainly fished.

Now living in Oregon, I am in fly fisherman's paradise. I am only a few hours from the mighty Deschutes, world renown for its redside rainbows and legendary summer steelhead run. I am less than 15 minutes from the Willamette, with coastal cut-throat trout and a very good summer steelhead run. 30-45 minutes puts me at the McKenzie (one of my favorite rivers)which has the legendary McKenzie Redside (my avatar is a pic of a McKenzie Redside) and a healthy run of summer steelhead. The McKenzie reminds a lot of the Green River. Along with numerous other rivers and creeks all within a 2 hour drive from home.

I only fly fished once in NC and that was on Lake Powhatan one time, about 10 years ago, and I caught a brown trout @ 10". And only recently did I pick the fly rod. If you ask nicely, I might give up some of my old fishing holes and I'll tell ya where you can find some really nice fish. Both cold water and warm water.

Also, feel free to stop by my blog @ http://flyfishingnut.wordpress.com/ for a few good laughs at my expense.

Dave

Welcome Dave!! Hey, I checked out your blog, nicely done!! Glad to have you on the forum...

Tyler, thanks for swinging by the blog. I've not yet updated it from this weekend's 7th skunking in a row, but surely it will eventually make it there.

Dave

I know how those skunkings go..

Howdy

Skunk builds character

Haha...Yes it does!!

Skunkings definitely test the will.. That's for sure! Steelhead are known as fish of 1000 casts. I've taken my beatings my last 7 days of winter steelheading. The only one I've landed this year was on 1/9/10 He was @ 29" and around the 7lb mark (smaller than average). He was a hatchery fish.

Dave

Edit: Yes, steelhead are exactly the same species as Rainbow Trout (O. Mykiss) They just happen to have a gene that causes them to become anadromous (live in saltwater reproduce in freshwater) They act much like salmon, except they make yearly journeys not just one.
Normally I practice catch and release, except for hatchery steelhead. Where I'll keep one for me and the kids to eat on. Plus ODFW encourages us to keep hatchery fish.

That is one heck of a steel!!

I love steelhead fishing. I grew up on what know as the "Golden Coast" of Western NY. I remember catching steelies in the 35+ range as a kid. Im heading home for a week in April to hit the spring season with my father. Im sure we will hit some waters off the lake.

You guys should come out here for steelhead. The Smith River strain are the big ones. They get in the 30+ lb range and are wild fish. I've not had the pleasure of hanging one of those yet. But I'm sure to be heading that way at some point in the future. Before I make that trek I'll have to pick up a 9wt or a 7wt switch rod. My 10' 7wt just won't cut it on those big fish.

We have steelhead down here in NC that run out of Santeetlah Lake into Snowbird Creek. They make their run in the winter. Of course, it's not up to par with the steelheading up in NY though...

Snow Bird creek hay? I may have to check that out.

Welcome aboard.

Howdy... jump in and get yer feet wet!